Ironing machine



H. C. ELLIS ET AL moNnlG MACHINE Filed March 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 45 2a: 34 z 55 117 3? 9 Z5 Z6 Z 2 27 29 l Z0 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

tlhliiE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT C. ELLIS AND NORMAN G. ELLIS, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

IRONING Application filed March The invention relates to ironing machines andmore particularly to that type in which a flat-iron is reciprocated by power over a fixed table under control of the operator.

One object of the invention is to provide a n'iachine of this type with improved mechanism for reciprocating the flat-iron, which comprises a rotary shaft which is stationarily mounted in the frame and is adapted to constantly drive a gear slidable thereon.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide reciprocating mechanism in which a flexible cable or element is utilized to reversibly shift the fiat-iron carriage.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. '1 is a perspective of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a. front elevation, parts being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the reversible gearing for driving the drum for reciprocating the carriage. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 is a detail of the carriagge lifting device. 1

The invention is exemplified in a. struc ture comprising a supporting frame which isbuilt up of sideslO, a longitudinal menr er ll and a plate having a horizontal por tion forming a base 13 and a vertical portion having a back, all of which are rigidly secured together in suitable manner, to form a rigid supporting structure. An ironing board or table 15 is supported in an elevated position by a standardlG adjacent one end, which is provided with an angular extension 17 to support the other end, so that garments may be slipped over the table. The ironing table is usually heated by any suitable means, usually electrically, inmanner well understood in the art. A flat-iron 1.8, con taining a resistance element and of suiiicient weight to produce the necessary pressure for ironing, is ,reciprocable horizontally over the table 15 and is suspended by a unive sal joint 19 from an arm 20, this joint permitting the necessary freedom of movement of the iron to cause it to engage the material being ironed.

Arm 20 is formed on a carriage 24 which is provided with circular bearings 21 and 22 which are adapted to slide and rock on MACHINE.

19 1926. Serial No. 95,839.

a shaft 23 which extends longitudinally across the back of the frame and is '0ur-' nalled in sides 10 of the frame. Power may be applied to shaft 23 to reciprocate the carriage, by means of a pulley 23 or any other suitable means. The gearing, for reciprocating the carriage by power derived from shaft 23, comprises a friction pulley 25 which is slidable on shaft 23 and is splined thereto so as to rotate therewith in all of its positions on said shaft. A longitudinal groove 23* is formed in said shaft for the spline on the hub of pulley 25. Said pulley is confined longitudinally so it will move withthe carriage 2 L between bearing 21 on the carriage and a member 26 mounted in the carriage. Pulley 25 is adapted to operate reverse gearing comprising b'evelled friction wheels 27 and 28 which are alternately movable into engagement with said pulley 25 and are disposed at 0pposite sides thereof, so that they will be driven in reverse directions thereby. Pulleys 27 and. 28 are journalled on a transverse shaft 29 which is non-rotatably and slidably held in a bearing 30 at the rear of carriage 24 and in the arm 20 at the front of said arriage. Ji'ember 26 is in the form of a yoke which connects the front and rear portions of shaft 29 and straddles the shaft 23 to permit shaft 29 to be moved axially or fore and aft. Pulley 27 is confined against axial movement on shaft 29 by a collar 31 and member 26 and pulley 28 is similarly confined by a collar 32, so that said gears may be. broughtinto and out of engagement with pulley 25 by the axial movement of shaft 29. A pinion 33 is formed on the hub of gear 27, and a similar pinion 34 is formed on the hub of gear 28. A gear 35 is fixed to a counter-shaft below the shaft 29, and meshes with pinion 33 to drive said shaft in one direction. Shaft 36 is journalled in hearings on the carriage 24-, so that it and the parts carried thereby will move with the carriage. A gear 37 is fixed to shaft 36 and meshes with pinion 3a to drive said shaft in the opposite direct-ion. The rotation of shaft 36 and pulleys .35 and 37 is adapted to impart movement to the carriage 2d by means of a drum 39 rotating with said gears and a flexible element, such as a cable 40 which has a gripping convolution around the drum and has its ends fixedly secured to the frame. Each end of the cable is preferably attached to.

one of the frame sides by means of an eye 41 which extends through one of such sides and has a nut 42 threaded to the outer end of the eye. Springs L3 are interposed between the frame-sides and the nuts 42 respectively to keep the cable taut. Shaft 29 is movable into a neutral position. in which pulleys 27 and 28 will both be disengaged from the pulley 25, so that the carriage will remain stationary when the shaft is shifted into such position. Vi hen the pulley 27 is shifted into engagement with the constantly rotating pulley 25, movement will be imparted to the drum in one direction through pinion 33 and gear 35, so that one end of the cable tO will be taken up and the other paid out, which will cause the carriage and the flat-iron to move horizontally in one direction. hen pulley 28 is shifted into engagement with constantly rotating pulley 25, the drum 39 will be driven through pinion 34: and pulley 37 in the reverse direc tion to oppositely wind up and pay out the cable and to move the carriage and iron in opposite direction. This exemplifies reversible gearing for reciprocating the carriage which is driven by a longitudinal shaft which is carried by the supporting frame and provided with a wheel for driving said reverse gearing. Also carriage-reciprocating mechanism in which a drum and cable are utilized to translate the rotary movement of the drum into reciprocatory movement.

To automatically stop the carriage when it reaches the end of its stroke in either direction, a shoe 60 is secured to one of the frame-sides to engage a stud 61 on the rear end of the shaft and shift the shaft forwardly to its neutral position when the carriage is moving to the left, and a shoe 62 is fixed to the other frame-side to engage stud 61 and shift the shaft 29 rearwardly to its neutral position when the carriage reaches the right-hand end of its stroke.

In practice, it is desirable that reciprocation of the iron should be readily and conveniently controllable, so that the operator may start, stop and reverse the iron at any point within its range of movement. For this purpose, a controller handle 45 is fixed to the front end of shaft 29 and extends through a slot 45 in arm of the carriage 24, so that shaft 29 will be held against rotation. The slotpermits the handle to be moved forwardly and backwardly to shift the shaft to alternately bring pulleys 27, 28 into operative connection with pulley 25, or to bring them into neutral position. A resilient detent a6 is fixe. to the handle 45 and is adapted to engage notches e7 to yieldingly hold the shaft in its diiferent positions.

In practice, it is frequently desirable to lift the iron over obstructions, such. as buttons or thick seams, on the material being ironed, without stopping the iron. To permit this to be done, provision is made whereby the operator may manually and readily lift the iron off the work and lower it. Carriage 24 is free to rock on shaft 23 for this purpose. A roller 71 is mounted on the lower end of a loop 72, projecting downwardly from the carriage. This roller is adapted to be shifted by angle bar 73 which extends longitudinally across the back of the frame and is pivotally suspended at its ends by arms which are fixed to a shaft 70 which is pivoted in the frame-sides. Angle bar 73 carries a roller 74 which is adapted to be engaged by a vertically sliding cam 75 on a rod 76 which is held in guides 77. A lever 78, for shifting, and pivoted at 82 to, the rod 76, is fulcrumed to the base at 79 and provided at its front end with a pedal 80, so that the operator may at any time, by depressing the pedal, swing the car rings 2% upwardly to lift the iron off the work and then permit it to drop. A spring 81 is applied to normally hold cam 7 5 in its inoperative position. Roller 71 is normally disengaged by angle bar 73 so that the weight of the iron will be applied to the work. The range of movement of the flatiron to the right is suflicient to permit it to travel off the ironing table, and to effect au tomatic lifting of the iron and hold it supported after it passes ofi' the table 15, a track 82 being formed adjacent one end of the angle bar 78 onto which the roller 74 will ride before the iron leaves the table 15.

The invention exemplifies an ironing machine in which the flat iron may be reciprocated at the will of the operator by mechanism comprising a longitudinal shaft and a gear-wheel constantly driven thereby with reverse gearing; in which a drum, and a cable having its ends attached to the frame, are used to translate rotary movement of the gearing to reciprocating movement, to shiftthe carriage, and which is simple in construction and efficientin operation; which is readily and conveniently controllable by the operator; and in which the iron may be manually raised by the operator to pass over obstructions on the work.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a fiat-iron mounted on the carriage, and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, mechanism for reciprocating the carriage, a longitudinally extending extending drive-shaft, a horizontally recipdrive-shaft, reversible gearing mounted on the carriage Connected to operate said mech anism, a wheel slidable on andconstantly driven by the shaft for driving said gearing and reciprocable with the carriage, and means to control said gearing to start and stop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally control said mechanism to start and stopthe I iron at will at any point within its range'of travel.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a longitudinally extending drive-shaft, a-horizontally reciprocable carriage slidable on said shaft, a-

; fiat-ironniounted on the carriage and to reciprocateho 'izontally over the, table, mechanism for-reciprocating the carriage, reversible gearing connected to operate said mecha nism mounted on the carriage and driven from said, shaft and reciprocable with; the carriage, and means to control said mechanism to start and stop the carriage at will at any point within its range of travel.

l. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a longitudinally rocable carriage slidable and pivoted on said shaft, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, mechanism for reciprocating the carriage, reversible gearing mounted on the carriage connected to operate said mechanism, 7

and a wheel slidable on and constantly driven by the shaft for driving said reverse gearing and reciprocable with the carriage, means to control said mechanism to start and stop the carriage at will at any pointwithin its range of travel, and means for swinging the carriage to move the flat-iron to and away from the table. 7

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, a longitudinally extending driven shaft, a wheel constantly driven by the shaft and mounted to slide with the carriage, slidable reversely rotatable wheels on the carriage, means operable by said reversely rotatable wheels to reciprocate the carriage, and means'to shift said reversely rotatable wheels into and out of engagement with said shaft-driven wheel, to start, stop or reverse the carriage at will at any point within its range of travel.

I 6. In, an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally r-eciprocable carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally overxthe table, a longitudinally extending driven shafton which the carriage is slidably mounted, a Wheel driven by the shaft and mounted to slide with the carriage,- rcverselyrotatable wheels on the carriage adapted to be driven by the shaft-driven wheel, means operable by said reversely rotatable wheels to reciprocate thev carriage, and means to shift said reversely rotatable wheels into and out of engagement with said shaft-driven wheel to start, stop or reverse the carriage at will at anypoint within its range of'travel.

7. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable, carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriageand to reciprocate horizontally over the table, a longitudinally extending driven shaft on which the carriage is slidably and pivotally mounted, a wheel driven by the shaft and'mounted to slide with'the carriage, reversely rotatable wheels on the carriage, adapted to be driven by the shaftdriven wheel, means operable by said reversely rotatable wheels to reciprocate the carriage, and means to shift said reversely rotatable'wheels to start, stop or reverse the carriage at will at any point within its range of travel.

8. In an ironing machine, the combinationof "a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, a longitudinally extending driven shaft on which the carriage is slidably and pivotally mounted, a wheel driven by the shaft and mounted to slide with the carriage, reversely rotatable wheels on the carriage adapted to be driven by the shaftdriven Wheel, means operable by thereversely rotatable Wheels to reciprocate the carriage,

means to lift the carriage, and means to shift said reversely rotatable wheels to start, stop or reverse the carriage at will at any point within its range of travel.

9. In an ironing machine. the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, mechanism for reciprocating the carriage comprising a flexible element and a winding drum for said element mounted on the carriage, and means to control said mechanism to start and stop the carriage at will at any point within its range of travel.

10. In an ironing machine, the combinatill tion of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, mechanism for reciprocating the carriage comprising reversing gearing mounted on the carriage, a cable having its ends secured to the frame and a drum mounted on the carriage for winding and unwinding the cable, and means to control said mechanism to start and stop the iron at will at any point within its rang of travel.

11. In an ironing machine. the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable carriage, a flatiron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, mechanism for re ciprocating the carriage, a longitudinally extending drive-shaft, reversing gearing operable by said shaft mounted on the carriage and connected to operate said mechanism, a cable having its ends secured to theframe and a drum mounted on the carriage for winding and unwinding the cable, and means to control said gearing to start and stop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel.

12. In an ironing machine. the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable carriage, a fiat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, a constantly rotating longitudinal drive-shaft, reversible gearing mounted on the carriage comprising a gear slidable on the shaft and with the carriage, acable having its ends secured to the frame and a drum for winding and unwinding the cable, means to lift the carriage to lift the iron off the table, and means to control said mechanism to start and stop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel.

13. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a longitudinally extending drive-shaft, a horizontally reciprocable carriage slidably and pivotally mounted on the shaft, a fiat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, reversible gearing mounted on the carriage comprising a wheel slidable on the shaft and with the carriage, a cable having its ends fixedly held by the frame and a drum for winding and unwinding the cable to reciprocate the carriage, means for swinging the carriage to lift the iron off the table at any point in its range of travel, and means to control said gearing to start and stop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel.

let. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table, a longitudinally extending drive-shaft, a horizontally reciprocable carriage slidable on and pivoted to said shaft. means to swing the carriage on the shaft, a flat-iron mounted on the carriage and to reciprocate horizontally over the table, reversing gearing mounted on the carriage comprising a wheel slidable on the shaft and with the carriage, means operable by the gearing to reciprocate the carriage, means to automatically swing the carriage to support the iron at one end of its stroke, and means to control said mechanism to start andstop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel.

Sign-edat Chicago, Illinois this 3rd day of March, 1926. I

HUBERT C. ELLIS. NORMAN C. ELLIS. 

